Packaging machines

ABSTRACT

A PACKAGING MACHINE HAVING A SERIES OF STATIONS AT WHICH BLANKS ARE OPERATED UPON TO FORM PACKAGES, GUIDEWAYS ENGAGING OPPOSITE MARGINAL FACES OF THE BLANKS, LUGS MOVABLE INTERMITTENTLY TO FEED BLANKS ALONG THE GUIDEWAYS AND TO LOCATE THE BLANKS AT EACH STATION AND RETARDERS   ENGAGING THE BLANKS AND ASSOCIATED WITH EACH STATION TO MAINTAIN THE BLANKS AGAINST THE LUGS FOR ACCURATE LOCATION.

Jan. 5, 1971" R; HE 'E ET AL 3,552,093

PACKAG ING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi led Sept. 15. 1968 Jan.5,11971 A K ,HE. ETAL 3,552,093

' PACKAGING MACHINES Filed Sept. 16, 1968 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 K. R. HEISER ET AL PACKAGING MACHINES Jan. 5, 1971 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1968 United States Patent 3,552,093 PACKAGING MACHINES Kenneth R. Heiser, Pendleton, and Kenneth E. Frerichs,

Anderson, Ind., assignors, by mesne assignments, to

International Inpak Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a

corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 759,923

Int. Cl. B65b 51/14 U.S. Cl. 53-373 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A packaging machine having a series of stations at which blanks are operated upon to form packages, guideways engaging opposite marginal faces of the blanks, lugs movable intermittently to feed blanks along the guideways and to locate the blanks at each station and retarders engaging the blanks and associated with each station to maintain the blanks against the lugs for accurate location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates to a machine for forming packages from blanks which are fed intermittently along guideways and stopped at each of a succession of operating stations. More particularly, the invention is directed to blank feeding and locating means including lugs engaging each blank and retarding means to maintain the blanks against the lugs for accurate location at each station. The invention is also directed to a novel package sealing means having self leveling pressing members.

Description of the prior art Typical packages which may be formed in a machine embodying the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,195,284 granted in the name of W. B. Crane, Jr. The packages are formed from fiat blanks having film covered windows which are formed into pockets to receive articles. The open sides of the pockets are closed either by folding parts of the blank over the pocket or by placing separate parts thereover. The superposed parts are pressed together and sealed to complete the packages.

One form of packaging machine adapted to carry out the above operations is shown in the above Crane patent and another form is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,691 granted in the name of A. S. Dorosz et al. The Crane patent discloses a machine having a rotary table on which package blanks are placed in holders to locate the blanks at successive operating stations as the table is intermittently rotated. The location of the plurality of holders on the table is critical and means must be provided for accurately locating the table each time it stops.

The Dorosz et al. patent shows what is commonly referred to as straight line machine in which the package blanks are fed by a plurality of movable grippers which pass the blanks to a plurality of stationary grippers at successive operating stations. The movable grippers are mounted on reciprocating bars which move in unison predetermined distances. Obviously the blank feeding and locating mechanisms of the Crane and Dorosz et al. patents utilize rather complex and expensive means to feed and locate the package blanks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide simple means to feed and locate cards in packaging machines of the general type disclosed. To this end the machine herein described is provided with an endless conveyor mechanism having spaced lugs engaging the trailing 3,552,093 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 edges of successive package blanks. The blanks are guided along a defined path to successive stations where different operations are performed on each blank to form completed packages. Theconveyor is driven in one direction in steps of predetermined distance and retarding means engaging the blanks are associated with each station to maintain each blank against its associated feeding lugs to ensure accurate location at each station.

According to another feature of the invention the machine is providedwith a sealing station having self leveling pressing members which engage opposite faces of superposed parts of the package blanks for sealing.

Other features of the invention together with novel details of construction and combinations of parts will be described and thereafter particularly pointed out in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is side elevation of a typical packaging machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the blank feeding and locating mechanism seen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line VIVI of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a typical packaging machine which embodies the invention. The machine is provided with a transport mechanism which feeds package blanks from a depositing mechanism 2 which separates individual blanks 4 from a stack 5 in a magazine 6 and places each blank on a feed path. The blanks are fed along the path one at a time to a heating station 8 where film 10 (FIG. 3) covering windows 12 of the blanks are softened. Thereafter the blanks are fed to a forming and loading station 14 (FIG. 3) where pockets 16 are formed in the windows. Articles to be packaged are loaded in the formed pockets either automatically or manually and the cards are fed to a folding station where the leading ends of the blanks are folded over the trailing ends to close the pockets and enclose the articles. Alternatively, separate blanks may be placed over the pockets rather than fold the blank as shown. The superposed parts of the blanks are then fed to a sealing station 20 where the parts are pressed firmly together and sealed or otherwise secured. After the packages are sealed they are deposited on a conveyor 22 which carries the packages from the machine.

The transport mechanism includes a pair of endless chains 24 shown schematically in FIG. 1 and also shown in FIGS. 3-6. The chains extend at opposite sides of the feed path of the blanks and are provided with a plurality of aligned and spaced pairs of lugs 26 adapted to engage the trailing end of each blank 4. The lower faces of the opposite side margins of the blanks are supported on a pair of rails 28 extending the length of the machine and carried by bars 30 forming part of the machine frame. The rails are provided with spacer bars 32 which guide the blanks by opposite edges and plates 34 forming channels which direct the blanks along the feed path through the successive stations. As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the chains 24 are carried at one end on a pair of sprockets 36 and at the other end by a pair of sprockets 38. The sprockets 38 are mounted on a shaft (not shown) which is driven in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1 through a one-direction clutch 40 by a chain 42. The chain 42 is carried on sprockets and is reciprocated by a piston and cylinder device 44 connected to the chain. The details of the device 44 and clutch 40 are not shown but it is assumed that any devices may be used which will cause reciprocation of the chain 42 in timed relation to the operation of the machine stations.

The lugs of each chain are aligned across the machine in pairs and are accurately spaced along the chains the same distance apart as the stations are spaced apart long the feed path. The chains are driven in unison to the right as seen in FIG. 1 intermittently in increments equal to the spacing of the stations so that the lugs by engagement with the trailing ends of the blanks determine the location of successive blanks in each station. To ensure that the ends of the blanks maintain engagement with the lugs when the chains are stopped, the plates 34 as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 are provided with openings 46 through which extend the ends of spring fingers 48. The fingers engage the upper surfaces of the blanks 4 to apply a retarding force to maintain the blanks in engagement with their associated lugs to ensure accurate location of the blanks at each station.

At the forming and loading station 14 (FIG, 3) there is provided a form 50 which is moved by a cylinder 52 into and out of engagement with the lower surface of each blank. The form is provided with one or more cavities 53 which register with the film covered windows of the blanks. The bottom of each cavity has a port 54 through which suction is applied to draw the film (which was softened at the station -8) into a pocket suitable to receive an article to be packaged. The article is then placed in the pocket and the form is retracted. The chains thereafter are driven to feed the loaded blank to the folding station 18 (FIG. 2) where the leading end of the blank is folded over the trailing end or a separate blank part is placed I to close the pocket and enclose the article. The superposed parts of the blanks are then fed into the sealing station 20.

The sealing station is provided with a lower member 60 which is suitably recessed to engage the underside of the rails 28 as well as the portions of the blank which extend between the rails. The rails in the sealing station are mounted on resilient pads 61 so as to ensure engagement of both rails by the member 60-. The plates 34 do not extend into the sealing station so that the upper surface of the superposed blank parts is exposed. The bars 32 are replaced by bars 62 of insulating material. The member 60 is supported on a plate 64 which is mounted for sliding movement on vertical rods 66. A fluid operated cylinder 68 acts through a four-bar toggle linkage 70 to raise and lower the member 60 when a blank is located in the sealing station.

The upper surface of the superposed blank parts is engaged by a die member 72 adapted to apply localized pressure to the blank. The die member is carried through plates 74 and 76 by a large diameter piston 78 mounted in a cylinder 80, The cylinder is provided with a flange 82 which is suitably grooved to receive a. flexible sealing ring 84 and the piston is provided with a flange 86 suitably grooved to receive a sealing ring 88. The flanges 82, 86 permit only limited movement between the piston and cylinder and the sealing rings 84, 88 yieldably guide the piston to permit the die member 72 to level itself on the surface of the blank. The cylinder 80 is carried on a plate 90 guided for sliding movement on the rods 66. A fluid operated cylinder 92 acts through a four-bar toggle linkall) age 94 to move the die member 72 into and out of engagement with the blank simultaneously with the movements of the lower member 60. When the superposed blank parts are located in the sealing station cylinders 68 and 92 are operated to move the member 60 and die member 72 toward each other to the positions shown in FIG. 6 in engagement with the lower and upper surfaces of the superposed blank parts. Thereafter, fluid under pressure is admitted through a port 96 to apply a self leveling pressure to the die member 72 through the piston 78. When the maximum localized pressure is reached, a high frequency electrical field may be applied through the die 72 to activate the film and/ or adhesive between the superposed blank parts to secure the parts together and seal the package. Thereafter the fluid pressure is released from port 96 and the cylinders 68 and 92 are operated in reverse to retract the die 72 and member 60 from the completed package. The package is then fed from the sealing station by chain lugs 26 and deposited on the conveyor 22 for removal.

The foregoing description of the various machine parts is intended to be merely illustrative and it should be apparent that many modifications and substitutions of parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a packaging machine, a station for pressing together superposed parts of a package blank, guideways along which said blank is fed into and located in said station by engagement with opposite marginal side faces of at least one of said parts, an intermittently movable conveyor having lugs engaging the trailing end of said blank for feeding said blank along the guideways, said station including opposed pressing members movable toward and away from said blank located in said station one of said members being engageable with said guideway to support one face of the superposed parts and the other of said members being engageable with the opposite face of said superposed parts and fluid pressure means for causing said members to apply pressure to the superposed blanks to secure them together to form completed packages.

2. A packaging machine according to claim 1 in which the fluid pressure means includes a piston carrying one of said pressing members, a cylinder movable along a predetermined path and flexible sealing rings yieldably guiding the piston in the cylinder for self leveling action upon engagement of said pressing members with the face of the blank and the guideway,

3. A packaging machine according to claim 1 in which said one pressing member is shaped to engage the guideways and the said one face of the superposed blanks extending between the guideways for supporting the blanks against the action of the other pressing member.

4. A packaging machine according to claim 1 in which the guideways are yieldably mounted to permit uniform pressure to be applied to the superposed blanks by said pressing members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,118,262 1/1964 Messick 53184 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner EUGENE F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner 

